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paternalismpa‧ter‧nal‧is‧m /pəˈtɜːnəl-ɪzəm $ -ɜːr-/ noun [uncountable]PGSSOwhen people in charge of an organization or society protect the members and give them what they need but do not allow them any freedom or responsibility —paternalistic /pəˌtɜːnəlˈɪstɪk◂ $ -ɜːr-/ (also paternalist /pəˈtɜːnəlɪst $ -ɜːr-/) adjective